


You Square All the Corners, I Straighten the Curves

by TheBrightestNight



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: (but more like one-shots in posted as chapters so i can title it how i want to), F/M, One Shot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-29
Updated: 2018-01-09
Packaged: 2018-10-25 06:58:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10759101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheBrightestNight/pseuds/TheBrightestNight
Summary: All the times Luke traced Tori's scars.And the one time he didn't.





	1. Part 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lucifersfavoritechild](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucifersfavoritechild/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Look Alike](https://archiveofourown.org/works/9119404) by [lucifersfavoritechild](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucifersfavoritechild/pseuds/lucifersfavoritechild). 
  * Inspired by [Colors](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11423040) by [lucifersfavoritechild](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucifersfavoritechild/pseuds/lucifersfavoritechild). 



> The title of the fic is taken from "Perfect for You" from _Next to Normal_.
> 
> The idea for this story was specifically inspired by lucifersfavoritechild's headcanon: Headcanon that whenever Luke started to doubt himself or Kronos, he would trace Tori's scars to remind him what he was fighting for.
> 
> (Look Alike will come into play in later chapters.)

It was the end of summer. Last night they'd handed out the beads at the last campfire of the summer and today most of the campers were heading back into the real world.

Tori had invited Luke to spar and train with her that afternoon when camp was at its quietest. Since most campers had left by then and all the others who stayed over winter were busy with other things (a day where they didn't have to follow their schedules) no one would be in the training arena. That was usually the case, anyway.

He was running a little late, having gotten caught up at the Big House for a bit longer than he would've liked. He had just gone to inform Chiron that he'd be staying over the winter, but Chiron had stopped him, wanting to know how he was doing. To check up on him. Luke didn't really want that. It had been almost two and half years since then. But he'd suffered through it anyway, because he had to keep up the act.

Anyway, he'd ran back to the Hermes cabin to grab his gym bag, and strap his sword to his waist, before rushing over to the sword arena. He slowed down before entering so it wouldn't seem like he'd ran over here, getting his breathing under control. Inside he could hear soft footsteps.

Suddenly feeling paranoid and anxious, he peeked through the entryway, making sure to stay in the shadows so whoever was there wouldn't notice him. He let out a small breath when he saw Tori.

But then, he _saw_ her and his breath caught completely in his throat, his eyes going wide.

Today was sunny, and the sun seemed to be drawn to her, as it was to all children of Apollo, acting as a natural spotlight. Her hair, which was pulled into a high ponytail, looked golden, and her brown skin looked almost bronze. She was also in tight-fitting shorts and a sports bra, her sword around her waist, in its sheath.

He'd never seen her wear anything but jeans and those quarter sleeve shirts to cover her scars.

Currently, her back was facing Luke, and he swallowed hard, watching her muscles in her back, shoulders, and arms tense as she stretched. His eyes couldn't help but glance at her scars, so prominent on her left side, starting at the elbow and going up her arm, curving back over her shoulder and stopping just above the small of her back. The sunlight threw them into relief, so they seemed even more noticeable.

It was unlike Tori to wear something like this so out in the open.

Then again, he knew about her scars already. He'd seen them before. And with camp nearly barren, it wasn't like she was in danger of revealing them to anyone else.

Realizing he'd been standing there for a long time, Luke pulled back, took a deep breath to compose himself, and then entered the arena.

Tori instantly turned at the sound of his footsteps and smiled.

Luke faltered in his stride, blinking, almost dazed. What was fucking wrong with him? He'd seen Tori before. She'd smiled at him like that before. Why was he so stunned now, all of a sudden?

Trying to regain his footing, he quickly smiled back, doing a once-over with his eyes. Nothing seemed that different about her. Was it some kind of Apollo magic? Him being a handsome god and all? Did that get passed down to his children?

Well, that was a stupid question. He'd seen how the campers looked at all the children of Apollo here. (And may or may not have gotten jealous of the people who tried to flirt with Tori.)

But why _now_ all of a sudden? It'd never hit him like this before.

"You okay?" Tori asked, coming up to him as he set his stuff down.

"Yeah, sorry, I was thinking about some other stuff. It's stupid." Luke waved his hand in a noncommittal gesture. Tori frowned and Luke faltered again. "Uh, Chiron wanted to talk to me about...you know, what happened. Check in or some shit. And I just…"

"Oh, I see." Tori nodded, then: "Is that why you're late?" There was a mocking, challenging edge to her tone.

The corner of Luke's lips pulled up into a lopsided smile. He was grateful she didn't press.

"It's a very valid excuse," he defended himself. "He is our director of camp activities after all."

"You're going to have to make up the lost time, though. I expected to train, not to wait around all day for your slow ass to get down here."

"Oh, I can do better than that," Luke growled playfully.

Smirking, Tori unsheathed her sword and twirled it, taking a fighting stance. Luke unsheathed his own sword. And then attacked.

Tori was improving in leaps and bounds when it came to sword fighting and Luke was impressed. He'd never had such a fast-learning attentive student before. It was also nice, because it offered him a challenge when battling, too. It kept him in shape and kept his skills with a sword sharp (pun intended).

Unfortunately for him, today, the more they fought, the more distracted he got. He thought, maybe, if they got all gross and sweaty, Apollo's weird magic would wear off or something. He should've known that's not how it worked.

The sheen of sweat that covered Tori's body as they dueled only made it look like she was actually glowing under the sun's spotlight. Some of the smaller hairs had wiggled free from her ponytail and were now sticking to her forehead in just the right way.

The fierce, concentrated look she got as she attacked was, honestly, turning him on. And her brown eyes weren't helping—shining like a dark topaz in the bright sun.

Luke didn't even realize she was disarming him until his sword had clattered to the ground.

Tori stood before him, sword point at his throat, her chest heaving— _don't stare_ —her expression displeased.

Panic rushed through Luke. She wasn't happy with him? Why? What could he do to make it up to her?

"You sure you're okay?" Tori asked, eyebrows furrowing as she pulled her sword away and sheathed it. "You seem distracted."

Luke swallowed hard and picked up his sword. "Yeah, I—I am...a little distracted," he conceded.

"Do you want to stop for today?"

Luke's head snapped up and he shouted, "No!" Tori jumped and blinked, startled at his strong response. "I mean, no, I'm having fun. I can pull it together. Besides, I was just warming up." He grinned and winked.

Tori rolled her eyes, but a smile was pulling at her lips. "Fine. Your call." She unsheathed her sword again and got into a fighting stance.

Luke honestly tried to focus, really, he did. But, like last time, he kept getting distracted watching Tori fight. It didn't help that he was up close and personal with her right now.

Then he screwed up, badly. He was so busy trying not to stare at the determined look on her face, or the way her abs tightened when doing a move, that when she stepped in and jabbed at him, he only had half a mind to dodge.

In the end, she didn't end up stabbing him, but she did manage to make quite a gash in his side.

Luke let out a grunt of pain, his sword dropping from his hand and going to his side. His knees buckled and hit the hard floor of the arena.

Tori was suddenly there, putting her own hand over his, her other hand caressing his face. She was saying something, looking frantic, but Luke was too busy getting lost in her eyes and watching her lips move to understand what she was saying. Besides, even if he wasn't distracted, his ears were ringing so loud, he wouldn't have been able to hear her anyway.

She pulled away and Luke let out a small noise of protest, reaching for her with his other hand, but she wasn't paying attention and he was slow from pain.

She wasn't gone long, though. She'd simply gone to get some ambrosia, which she promptly put to his lips. Luke opened his mouth obediently and, for the briefest moment, Tori's finger brushed his lips, sending chills down his spine.

He swallowed hard, almost choking on the ambrosia, and his pain slowly faded. When he pulled his hand away and looked down at his side, the wound was gone. The only thing left to show for it was the blood on his hand and some on Tori's, too. They quickly remedied this by rinsing their hands with water from a water bottle she'd brought over with the ambrosia.

"I'm sorry," he said after a moment of quiet, lifting his gaze from his hands, to look at Tori. "I guess I'm more distracted than I thought."

Tori frowned, concern swirling in her eyes. She was kneeling in front of him. She reached up to brush some hair from his forehead.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked pulling her hand away. Luke tried to stifle his protests at this.

He simply stared at her, wondering if he _should_ tell her that _she_ was the one distracting him, actually, not the talk he'd had with Chiron. That felt like centuries ago to Luke now.

Tori leaned in a little closer. "...Luke?"

 _Just a little closer,_ he thought, sliding his eyes closed and leaning forward to close the gap between them.

Tori responded to his kiss in kind, much to his enjoyment. Her hands came up to caress his face, one of them moving into his hair. His own hands came up to rest on her hips, careful to keep them on the fabric of her shorts.

But when the kiss started getting really heated, Luke faltered and pulled his hands away completely, causing them to fall. He managed to catch himself on his elbows with Tori falling on top of him.

She laughed and pulled herself up, planting a hand on his chest.

"What was that?" she asked, smiling. She was straddling him now and he hoped to the gods that his body could hold it together for a little longer. Though, with the way she was sitting, that natural spotlight still on her, he probably wasn't going to succeed.

"Sorry, I just…" Luke spluttered. "I didn't know—um, I was afraid of...well—" He broke off, his eyes doing a once-over, hoping that explained it enough.

Tori laughed again, making his heart flutter and his stomach knot.

"What's the matter, Castellan, never seen a girl show this much skin?" she teased.

Luke swallowed hard and slowly sat up. Tori shifted off him so he could before sitting down next to him. Close. Very close. He could smell her. He wanted to reach out and brush his fingers down her arm, but restrained himself so he could explain. Now that they were in a less compromising position, his head was somewhat clearer.

"I just...I wasn't sure what you were comfortable with," he said quietly, timid. "I didn't want to touch you somewhere you didn't want or like."

"Oh." Tori blinked before a delicate smile spread across her lips. "That's very sweet of you." She paused, her eyebrows furrowing, and bit her lip. "I'm not...sure what I'm comfortable with, though. Just...just do what feels natural and I'll tell you how I'm feeling. Does that sound...doable?"

Luke nodded, anticipation rushing through him. She wanted to kiss him again!

Beginning the kiss was a little awkward, but once they started kissing again, it seemed like the most natural thing in the world to them. Luke hesitantly put his hands on her waist (her skin was so soft and warm!) and pulled back a moment to whisper, "Okay?"

"Yeah," Tori breathed before continuing the kiss.

He moved one of his hand to the small of her back, the other to her neck.

"Still okay?"

"Mm-hmm."

He cupped the nape of her neck, his other hand moving to her stomach.

"This okay?"

"Yeah."

Luke found he really liked feeling her abs contract as they moved and kissed.

When Tori broke away for air, Luke moved his lips to her neck. Brazenly, he nipped at her throat and heard her suck in a sharp breath. He pulled away slightly, looking up at her.

"Okay?"

"...yeah," she breathed. "I just...wasn't expecting it."

Luke nipped again, at the base of her throat before licking the same spot. Tori's arms tightened around him, her fingers digging into his back.

"Shit," she hissed.

Pleased, Luke continued to down to her collarbone, continuing his small bites and licks. Her chest heaved and when he glanced up at her, her eyes were squeezed shut and she was biting her lip. Her arms were still tensed around him.

Luke brought her lips to his again, this time their kiss slower and more careful.

Without really thinking, one of Luke's hands moved to her back, between her shoulder blades, to steady her against him while the other started to trail her scars with his fingers. Tori froze, and Luke responded, freezing, too, before quickly pulling his hand away and looking at her warily.

"I'm sorry, I didn't—" he began, but Tori silenced him with a quick peck on the lips.

"I'm just not used to being so comfortable around someone," she said. "I like it. Being able to be open with you."

"So you don't mind?" Luke asked to make sure.

Tori bit her lip, hesitantly lifting her hand and caressing Luke's face, gently stroking her thumb over his scar. He tensed slightly, but it was something they'd already talked about. Something he was getting used to.

"I think it'll take some getting used to, but…" She dropped her hand. "I don't mind."

Luke looked at her for a long moment, taking it all in, before they were kissing again. Slower, but somehow more passionate. He gently pressed his fingertips against her scars, working his way up her back, down her arm, and then back again.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter titles are subject to change. (I wanted to do something witty, but I also just kind of want to post this. So I'll come up with something later and probably change it then.)
> 
> As always, I hope you enjoyed! Comments are much appreciated! ^_^
> 
> Thank you for reading,  
> TheBrightestNight


	2. Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, so I had planned to explain so much of this and then it totally slipped my mind the night I posted Part 1, because it was past midnight already and it would take me about an hour and half to finish editing to my liking and then post, not to mention thinking about chapter titles and story titles, etc. (And, as you know, I didn't even succeed in that.)
> 
> Anyway, what I wanted to explain was that in lucifersfavoritechild's story titled [Scars](http://archiveofourown.org/works/8823247), Tori's scars are as described in the last part—they start from her elbow, move down her arm, and then stop just above the small of her back. Originally, that's not actually how I pictured them, they stopped at the end of her shoulder blade, but I really liked that conceptualization/look of her scars stretching (almost) all the way down her back.
> 
> TL;DR: as far as the universe that these scenes take place, it's really kind of a melding of some of the headcanons that lucifersfavoritchild has come up with/the AU they've kind of created in some of their stories, and my own story. If that make sense.
> 
> I wanted you guys to know because lucifersfavoritechild has come up with some great stuff, and is a great writer, so I really want to make sure that the credit goes where it should.
> 
> Again, I had wanted to detail this in the last part, but it was late and I was tired. I feel like there is more, but I'll add it in notes as I go.

Tori had just come back to the Hermes cabin from archery practice at the range. Needing a towel from the bathroom, for she'd forgotten to bring one with her when she'd left earlier, she walked straight into the bathroom. Never mind that the door had been closed.

It wasn't like it was some tiny bathroom in an apartment or a house. This was a cabin, with an overflow of people, so there were stalls for toilets and showers. Of course, people tried to respect other people's privacy, but sometimes that wasn't always achieved.

Like today.

Only, for a completely different reason.

Tori slipped inside the bathroom and shut the door behind her, on autopilot, until she turned around and realized someone else was in the bathroom, half-naked. Thankfully for her, they had pants on, but no shirt.

Then they looked up into the mirror, their eyes flickering behind them and Tori's whole neck and face slowly filled with red.

Luke turned to look at her head-on, an eyebrow raised. His hair was slightly damp, telling Tori he'd probably just finished with a shower.

"I'm so sorry," she managed. "I didn't realize someone was in here." With that she quickly turned to exit, only as she pulled the door open, the door handle flew from her grasp. The door slammed closed. Tori jumped and spun around, only to veer back into the door with a squeak.

Luke had moved so quiet and fast. He was standing just mere inches from her now, with his hand firmly pressed against the door, next to Tori's head.

It was the winter session here at camp, so the whole place was nearly barren. Even the usually overcrowded Hermes cabin. Which is why Tori hadn't thought anyone was going to be in the bathroom at the time.

Luke was smirking and leaning toward her. Tori forced herself to keep her eyes on his face.

"What's the matter, Williams?" he asked. "Never seen a guy show this much skin before?"

Blinking hard, Tori willed her eyes to stay on his face. Unfortunately for her, that's not what happened. Luke was so close, and her body was automatically responding to his closeness. Not to mention he'd scared her a moment ago.

Her heart was pounding, her face still beet red. Her hands were shaking, and her knees felt weak.

Still, she crossed her arms and straightened her posture, turning her nose up to him.

"Of course I have," she said as haughtily as she could, her eyes closing. Now she was just teasing him, trying to make him jealous.

Tori opened her eyes again when she'd finished speaking, but she'd misjudged Luke's height. Instead of meeting his eyes again, she had a full view of his pecs, and her eyes continued downward from there to his eight pack. It wasn't defined like a body-builder's, but you could definitely tell it was there.

Luke may not have been a child of Apollo or Aphrodite, but he'd somehow gotten good-looks from somewhere (quite possibly his mother). Tori didn't miss how the campers here looked at him. And even though they were exclusively dating now, it still made her insanely jealous whenever someone flirted with him. Would she ever admit that to Luke, though? Hell no! He'd never let her live it down.

And, of course she'd seen him with his shirt off before. But now was totally different. Before, she hadn't had all these feelings. She was simply getting to know him as a friend, as someone who'd saved her life when her advancement test had gone horribly wrong. As someone who, admittedly, had gorgeous blue eyes. After what happened with his quest and the dragon that guarded the golden apples in the Garden of Hesperides, they had grown closer.

Much closer than Tori could have ever imagined before. She realized how similar they were. Those feelings of friendship, while definitely still there, parted like cells do when multiplying and, instead of cloning, had morphed into something completely different and new.

She wasn't ready to say it, let alone think it, but she was sure of it.

And she was sure Luke felt the same way.

But they were in the beginning stages, newly-dating. There would be no big proclamations or declarations today. Despite growing ever closer, they were still feeling out this new territory. It was different, felt different, and they both wanted to be comfortable before going any further.

Luke chuckled, breaking Tori from her thoughts. Her eyes flew up to meet his. He was still smirking, and his eyes sparkled with mischief.

He leaned a little closer. "Something wrong?"

Now she could smell the soap he'd used for his shower. Her eyes flickered to his chest again before she forced them back to Luke's face, but the expression on his face _was not_ helping matters. So her eyes went back to his chest, his eight pack, back to his chest. She watched as it rose and fell. At one point, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror behind Luke, but her gaze instantly shifted to Luke's back and the muscles there. The ones in his shoulders were really defined from all his sword-fighting. And she wondered what those muscles would look like tensed, moving.

Now, of course, she'd seen that too, when he taught classes and gave lessons. But, again, it was completely different this time around. The context had changed.

Tori flushed an even darker shade of red and she quickly averted her gaze. Back to Luke. His eyes had darkened and Tori felt her stomach tighten. Keeping his gaze, she reached forward, hooking a finger through his belt and pulled him toward her. Their lips collided passionately.

Luke's hand moved from the door to caress Tori's face, the other pulling her hair from its ponytail so he could pull his fingers through her soft hair. Tori kept one hand at his belt, the other starting at his neck, but sliding up into his hair. After a moment, Tori pulled away for air. Her hand came away from his belt.

"Can I?" she asked, breathless, her hand now hovering over Luke's bare chest.

"Yeah," Luke breathed before they were kissing again. Tori put her hand on Luke's abs, feeling them move and tense as they kissed. Then she slid her hand up his chest, eliciting a moan from Luke. A million butterflies erupted inside Tori's stomach.

Luke pulled back for a moment, one of his hands playing with the hem of Tori's shirt. She nodded and they were kissing again. Luke's hand slid up underneath her shirt and began pressing his fingertips against her scars. The higher he went, the more he pulled up her shirt. Tori found she didn't mind.

After a few moments, Tori hooked her foot on Luke's ankle and swept his foot out from under him, causing him to lose his balance and fall forward. He had to slam his lower forearm against the door to keep from completely falling on Tori, but the kiss didn't even break. Instead, that brought their bodies even closer. Luke wrapped his arm around her waist, completely pulling her to him, and _oh_ , Tori found she liked feeling his skin against hers. It was warm, and firm.

Neither of them was sure how long they stood their kissing, but suddenly the door tried to open behind Tori, only to fall closed again because of both their weights on it. They both ignored this until someone started slamming their fist against it.

"Um, hello," the voice of Travis Stoll called. "We'd like to get in, please."

"Yeah, you two," Connor Stoll yelled. "We're going to use the bathroom for its actual purpose! Go make out somewhere else!"

Tori and Luke finally broke apart, breathing hard, and looked at each other for a long moment. Travis tried the door again, and this time Tori and Luke stepped out of the way, Tori turning so she could face the two brothers as the door opened. Luke, realizing her shirt was still pushed up, tugged on the hem and Tori swiftly straightened it out, though perhaps just a little too late. The door was already open and the two brothers, though they really could've been twins, looked at the couple with matching suggestive grins.

Tori rolled her eyes. "Oh, grow up."

"We didn't say anything," they said simultaneously.

Scoffing, Tori started forward, brushing past them, Luke following suit. They'd made it a few steps away before, "Hey, pretty boy!" Conner called. Both turned to face the still-open doorway.

"You forgot your shirt," Travis finished, chucking it at them, only it landed right in Tori's face, engulfing her senses in Luke's scent.

Tori pulled the shirt from her face, leaving it sitting around her neck, and glared at the brothers.

"You missed," she deadpanned.

They grinned again. "We know," they said together before Conner grabbed the doorknob and slammed the door closed.

Luke and Tori stared at the door, but Tori got distracted by Luke's shirt. She sniffed it again, really enjoying the smell, and contemplated on giving it back to Luke or not. He had plenty of shirts, right?

"Gonna give that back?" Luke asked, leaning in to murmur in her ear.

Tori felt another blush creep into her face, and her heart stuttered. "Of course."

Luke pulled away, grinning smugly. "It's okay if you don't. I have plenty of shirts. I always plan on girls taking them from me." He shrugged nonchalantly. Tori fumed, pulled the shirt from her neck and wadded it up into a ball before throwing it into Luke's face.

"You're a jerk!" she yelled, storming out of the cabin.

Luke laughed, pulling the shirt from his face and followed her. "Oh, come on, Tori, it was a joke!" he called after her.

"Go fuck yourself, Castellan!" she yelled back before continuing through the green.. Luke quickly ran out onto the porch and slipped his shirt back on, enjoying watching her storm away for a moment, smiling to himself and feeling his chest swell with love, before he leaped over the railing and ran after her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's part 2! Sorry it took so long. I was freaking out about continuing this little series because I tend to chicken out of things like this sometimes. I've decided to continue, though, since I've enjoyed writing about Luke and Tori being a couple.
> 
> Also, as you may know, I was working on my main story as well as finishing up my senior year/last semester. Graduation is in two days. I'm freaking out.
> 
> Hopefully I'll be able to come up with actual titles for these that are better than just "Part [number]." We'll see. I'm juggling too many things at the current moment.
> 
> As always, I hope you enjoyed! Comments are much appreciated! ^_^
> 
> Thank you for reading,
> 
> TheBrightestNight


	3. Part 3

Tori shoved Luke back, causing him to stumble and nearly take a spill when the back of his legs hit one of the cots in the infirmary they were currently standing in. He opened his mouth to ask what that was all about, but Tori beat him to the punch.

"I had that monster, you didn't have to jump in front of me!" Her hands were balled into fists at her side and she shifted from foot to foot. Her jaw was taught and her eyebrows were smashed together.

Luke responded in kind. "I was trying to protect you!"

"And went and got yourself injured instead."

"It's not a big deal!" Luke gestured to his healed arm. "A little ambrosia and healing magic from an Apollo kid and I'm fine."

"If it's not a big deal, then I would've been perfectly fine if I _had_ gotten hurt," Tori retorted.

Luke let out a frustrated growl. "So, what? You expect me to just stand around while I watch my girlfriend get attacked by a monster?"

" _You_ expect _me_ to stand around while I watch my boyfriend get attacked by a monster to protect me? I am very capable of handling monsters myself, and you damn well know I don't need your or anyone else's help."

"That's not what I meant when I jumped in front of you! I'm not allowed to be worried about my girlfriend now, is that it?"

Tori let out her own frustrated growl and restrained herself from hitting him. "That's not what I'm saying—"

"Then what are you saying—?"

"I just want you to trust me—"

"I _do_ trust you—"

"Could've fooled me!"

"I was just worried that if I didn't do something, you were going to get badly hurt."

"And I appreciate that—"

"Do you?"

" _Yes._ "

They paused, staring each other down with glares that would've killed anyone else had they been unfortunate enough to anger either of them.

"You're not going to let this go," Luke finally said in a low voice.

"No fucking way." Tori turned heel and started heading out, but Luke stopped her.

"Oh, so, I jump in front of a monster to protect you and I don't even get a 'thank you'?"

Tori spun around again and shouted, "THANK YOU!"

"YOU'RE WELCOME!"

They both started to storm off then, but there was only one exit in the infirmary and they both headed in that direction. And even though they were fighting, Luke stopped at the door, gesturing aggressively for Tori to go before him. She stomped past him and he followed. The same thing happened at the Big House door. When they were finally out, they headed in separate directions, both silently fuming.

* * *

The Hermes cabin became a minefield, which quickly spread to the entire camp. No one knew how to interact with either of them without setting them off. Two things, though, they were sure of: 1) _never_ to take sides. It only made them mad at the people who tried to take their side, and 2) don't insult the other.

Meanwhile, Luke and Tori _refused_ to talk to each other. But the strangest part about it was the fact that, even though they were angry at each other, they still moved in sync and exchanged words with mere glances, there was just...more tension about their movements and glances. They even still sat next to each other during mealtimes.

This time their fight had occurred before dinner, so the camp wasn't sure yet just how bad this fight was going to be (they actually hadn't been to date bad, but the camp could never be too sure). They, unfortunately, had to wait.

When dinner finally came around, the pavilion was dead silent. Not even Chiron or Mr. D made a sound as the campers, satyrs, and nature spirits filed in. Chiron out of concern for the wellbeing of the other campers if they found themselves somehow between Luke and Tori, and Mr. D out of boredom more than anything else. He _was_ a god after all, these trivial things didn't bother him.

Everyone waited with baited breath, watching as Luke and Tori stiffly took a seat at the table next to each other. And because this was the Hermes table it was so crowded, they had no choice but to practically press up against each other to fit everyone. They ignored each other, not even to glance at one another. Dinner was supposed to start, but they were waiting, the campers needed to know if the bomb was about to go off or be diffused.

As usual, they moved in sync, setting their arms down on the table, side by side. The tension in the pavilion increased tenfold as everyone tensed and watched, not daring to move, blink, swallow, or even breathe.

Their hands brushed because they were so close and they exchanged a brief look—each glaring at the other. A short, silent conversation, and then their eyes were elsewhere. After another small moment of silence, they entwined their pinky fingers—just their pinkies—but the whole pavilion relaxed, letting out a breath.

Impending doom had been averted.

Chiron signaled dinner to start and things continued on as they were. Though, Luke and Tori completely ignored each other, except for their entwined fingers.

* * *

Tori started awake, not quite sure what had woken her. She blinked the sleep from her eyes and looked around the quiet, slightly darkened cabin. Currently, the blinds were open and moonlight shone brightly in through the window between her bunk and Luke's. (How the kids on the floor stood it was a mystery to her.)

Perhaps the sudden brightness had woken her?

She glanced over at Luke, out of habit, despite still being mad at him, and noticed he was awake, too. It was a bit hard to tell at first, because he was lying on his back, eyes closed, but his chest was moving too rapidly for him to be sleeping. Another nightmare. They were becoming more and more frequent. It was really starting to concern Tori.

Suddenly, as if he knew she was staring at him, his eyes opened and he turned his head to meet her gaze. They'd been dating long enough to have gotten over the phase of "quickly looking away when the other catches you staring." She held his gaze.

Tori shifted on her bed, making room for another body, and set a hand on the free space, looking silently at Luke. He knew she was still mad because of the fact that she hadn't smiled at him at all and because she'd only patted the spot once.

Luke did a quick once over of the cabin before sitting up and slipping off his bed, expertly stepping over the sleeping kids on the floor between their bunks, and sliding in next to Tori.

They both laid on their sides, Luke burying his head in Tori's neck, putting a hand lightly on her waist. One of Tori's arms rested in what little space there was between them, hand slipped underneath the pillow, lightly pressed against Luke's other hand that was also between them, slipped underneath the pillow. Her free hand came up to gently run her fingers through his hair.

After a moment of listening to their quiet breathing, Luke shifted to be able to look at Tori. His hand at her waist played with the hem of her shirt. She met his eyes and nodded once. Luke rested his head back in her neck before slipping his fingers under her shirt and pressing his fingertips against her scars there.

After a few moments of this, Tori started humming and soon, Luke was asleep again.

* * *

When Tori woke up again, she was lying on Luke's chest. Half-awake, she shifted to snuggle closer, enjoying his warmth. Her eyes slowly opened to the dim light of dawn coming through the window. Still not bright enough to wake anyone up, but light enough, she could distinguish people—the bluish-greyish light of early- _early_ morning.

Tori felt something in her hand and glanced down to see that one of her arms and one of Luke's arms was hanging over the edge of the bed. Their fingers were loosely intertwined. Suddenly, Luke's fingers slowly closed around Tori's hand. She responded, closing her fingers around his hand before shifting to look up at Luke.

He was already looking at her, with an apologetic expression.

"I'm sorry," they said perfectly in sync. Luke squeezed Tori's hand as she shifted, propping herself up on her free elbow.

"I'm sorry for thinking you wouldn't be able to take care of that monster," Luke apologized.

Tori smiled. "And I'm sorry that I got mad at you for protecting me," she replied, squeezing his hand back.

They leaned in for a kiss, unwinding their hands from each other so Tori could place it next to Luke's head to help prop herself up more. Luke's free hand went to her waist and migrated up to the back of her neck before knotting into her hair.

After a few moments, before the kiss could go anywhere, someone in the cabin stirred. Tori and Luke quickly broke away from each other, chests heaving and looked to where the sound had come from. The person who'd stirred was resting back into their sleeping bag, eyes still closed, but the sun was now fully up and light was streaming into the cabin. Around them, people began to stir.

Tori looked back at Luke, who met her eyes for a long moment. Then Tori rolled off Luke so he could slip off her bed and sneak back into his right before the first person sat up, rubbing their eyes. Tori laid back down and smiled over at Luke.

Luke relaxed back into his bed, a return smile stretching across his face. The tight ball that'd formed in his chest since their fight dissipated and he could breathe easier again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like these are getting shorter, but this is what I've got, so ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ Sorry this took so long. I've been really busy ever since graduating and still have to decide how I want to section out my time for which things I want to do when.
> 
> For those of you who're reading INAS, I hit a bit of a writer's block. I know what I want to write next, but when I go to write, it doesn't quite feel right. I'll try to jump back in to it soon, though.
> 
> As always, I hope you enjoyed! Comments are much appreciated! ^_^
> 
> Thank you for reading,  
> TheBrightestNight


	4. Part 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lucifersfavoritechild's headcanon: Luke blurts out that he loves her the first time he hears her sing. He's embarrassed but he doesn't take it back because it's true. Tori's flustered, but she tells him she loves him too, and they kiss.

"You like to sing?" Luke asked.

He and Tori were sitting side-by-side, next to the river that divided the forest. It was mid-afternoon, and they'd picked a secluded spot to get away from the rest of camp for a little bit. Tori had her guitar and was strumming it mindlessly. The day was warm, the scent of strawberries baking in the sun wafted through camp, even into the forest, somehow. Every now and again, a breeze would rustle the leaves of the trees, cooling the two off for a brief moment.

"I do," Tori laughed, making Luke's stomach twist, but in a good way. Then her smile faded from her features and she stopped strumming her guitar. She looked at the flowing stream, watching the ripples. "My mom taught me how to play the guitar and sing. I've been learning since I could speak."

"...why did you stop?" Luke's voice was gentle.

"Well after...after my mom died—" Tori broke off, tears welling up in her eyes. She swallowed hard and blinked them away, looking back at Luke.

"Tori, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to," Luke assured, sitting up and taking one of her hands, angling himself toward her.

Tori looked down at their entwined hands and smiled before looking back up at Luke. "I guess I just fell out of it. I still sing. Just...not often. Or in front of anyone."

Luke nodded, not sure what to say, but squeezed her hand. Tori gently pulled her hand from Luke's and started strumming again. Luke sat back and closed his eyes, taking in the sounds of the forest. The breeze, the rustling leaves, the birds chirping, the babbling brook. Somehow, Tori's strumming felt perfectly natural with the music of the forest. After a moment, he opened his eyes and looked over at Tori, sitting up

"If I asked, would you sing for me?" Luke said.

Tori stopped strumming and over up at Luke. She opened her mouth as if to answer, but closed it and looked around, making sure no one was around, even though they were in a pretty secluded spot. Also, not many of the campers would be roaming the forest.

"Maybe," she finally answered giving him a secretive smile. When she didn't say anything else, Luke smiled, amusement twinkling in his eyes.

"Will you sing for me?" he asked.

Tori gave him a look, but a smile still pulled at her lips. "Do you have any requests?" Luke shook his head and shrugged. Tori sat back and looked around, thinking about what song she could sing, of the songs that her mother liked—which was quite a lot—and tried to pick one that she thought would be good for the first time singing for her boyfriend.

One kept popping into her head and so, taking a deep breath, Tori readjusted her guitar and began to strum: "Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen.

When she finished, the breeze, the leaves, even, it seemed, the river had stilled. Around them, the forest had gone silent, though neither of them could tell if it was real or if it was because they felt like they were the only two ones on this earth right now. Either way, neither of them even noticed.

Luke stared at Tori, his jaw slack, eyes wide. He'd turned to face her at some point during the song.

With a jolt, he realized he should say something. Tori was waiting. She was looking at him expectantly, maybe even holding her breath. A million different things ran through his mind, a million different compliments: That was beautiful! That sounded amazing! I didn't realize you had the voice of an angel. The list went on and on.

But when Luke opened his mouth to say one of the many compliments, maybe even all of them, what came out was not what he'd expected. As soon as he opened his mouth, words that hadn't even crossed his mind came tumbling out, out of his control:

"I love you."

Of course, these words  _had_  crossed his mind, multiple times, so it'd always been sitting there, in the back of his head. They just hadn't been there when he'd been thinking of what to say in response to her song. Which is most likely why they tumbled out at this moment. Listening to her sing—his heart had swelled, his stomach had filled with butterflies, and it seemed like the world had stopped turning. It felt like everything had fallen into place in that exact moment.

Everything he'd come to know and love about Tori filled his head: The way her muscles moved when she trained with him. That concentrated look she got that was so intense and fierce when she practiced archery.. Watching her hair shine in the sunlight on any given day. When she smiled at him, or laughed, stopping his heart. Watching how her eyes changed during the day from onyx, to dark, rich soil, to earth, to topaz. When those eyes lit up with excitement or happiness talking about theater, of her dreams and wishes before she became a demigod. The wistfulness in her voice when she talked about her mom. When she bit her lip, making his stomach twist into a knot. Watching her competitive side win capture-the-flag games. Her stubborness, sarcasm, wit, her sense of what was right. The love for her brother. It didn't show often, because it was buried underneath her bitterness and hurt for not being claimed, but it was definitely there. That was the biggest thing for him, the fact that she could still love him, despite what'd happened between them. He didn't even think  _she_  knew, herself. She was oblivious like that sometimes, another trait that he thought was adorable.

Tori blinked rapidly, stunned at Luke's words. She opened her mouth to say something, but closed it just as quickly and swallowed hard. She fiddled with her guitar and looked around, a blush staining her cheeks.

She was easily flustered, that was another trait he loved about her.

Luke could feel his heart pounding in his chest. Time seemed to slow down, he could feel and count each and every heartbeat as he waited. His mouth felt dry, and his hands had started shaking. His breath was ragged, and his ears were filled with the sound of rushing blood and ringing.

Then Tori looked back at Luke and smiled, her eyes lighting up. They were topaz today.

"I love you, too," she said.

Just like that the ringing stopped, time sped up to what he was used to. His body relaxed and he let out a breath, a grin stretched across his face. He practically leaped forward, toward Tori. Not expecting this, she veered back, but they were so close to the water's edge, her hand went into the river. She didn't even register the cold.

"Careful!" Tori exclaimed, putting her other hand on his chest to still him. Luke allowed her to straighten up before ducking in and got a quick kiss, but Tori pulled away (keeping her hand on his chest) afraid she might take a spill and damage her guitar.

"Seriously, Luke, I love you, but if you get my guitar wet, I'll kill you," she told him. It was easier to say the second time. It felt  _right_. It was like a breath of fresh air.

Luke chuckled and Tori gripped the front of Luke's shirt. Her other hand was still in the river. "I will push you into that river before I let this guitar get wet."

Yet another thing he loved about her, the love for her guitar.

Luke held up his hands in surrender and carefully moved back, sitting across from her.

Watching him carefully, but a smile still on her face, Tori removed her hand from the river and dried it on her jeans. Then she pulled the guitar strap off her shoulder and set it aside, carefully, to rest standing against a nearby tree trunk that was giving them shade. As soon as her hand came away from her guitar, Luke was gently pushing her to the ground. Balancing on one hand, hovering above her, he caressed her cheek with his free one.

Tori smiled up at him, her heart swelling with love, and was reminded of the first time she'd noticed just how gorgeous his blue eyes were. She reached up, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her.

When they broke away for air, Tori spun them, pushing Luke to the forest floor and straddling him, before leaning down to kiss him again. One of his hands was knotted in her hair, the other was playing with the hem of her shirt.

Luke pulled away for a brief moment, asking a silent question. Tori nodded and they continued to kiss as Luke slipped his hand underneath her shirt and began tracing her scars.

These kisses were somehow sweeter, like that simple word had changed her whole world.

Well, it wasn't really simple, was it? It was  _so many things_. That single word almost felt like not enough to describe how much she felt for Luke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These are def getting shorter, fam. But I hope you still enjoyed, nonetheless.
> 
> For those reading INAS, I've hit another writer's block (ugh, I'm dying), which is partly why I wrote this. I hoping to get back into it, but we'll see :\
> 
> In the meantime, I've planned out all the other parts to this, so more to come, sooner this time *knock on wood*
> 
> As always, I hope you enjoyed! Comments are much appreciate! ^_^
> 
> Thank you for reading,  
> TheBrightestNight


	5. Part 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tori wonders why Luke owns so many brown shirts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At last, here is the fifth installment.
> 
>  _This actually reminded me of how in the Lightning Thief movie, Luke only wears brown shirts, which is a cute little coincidence_ , per lucifersfavoritechild. Also inspired by their story, [Colors](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11423040/chapters/25592562), which you should _totes_ go read. After you read this part, of course ;) For real, though, it's amazing and wonderful. I'd _highly_ recommend it.
> 
> All right, you've waited long enough, here you go!

Luke came back from sword-practice to find Tori rummaging through his personal chest. The winter session had just begun, so once again, the camp was nearly barren and empty. They'd sparred and trained with each other earlier, but Luke was feeling more restless than usual and so went back to the arena for another few hours. Tori said she was going to go practice archery. Either that'd been a lie, or she'd come back early.

She must've been really involved in what she was doing, because she didn't even acknowledge when he opened the door, or when it fell closed after Luke stepped in.

Still slightly breathing hard, drenched in sweat, Luke took a few steps toward his girlfriend.

"Tori?" he asked. She stopped what she was doing and threw down the shirts she currently had in her hands before looking at him over her shoulder. She didn't look embarrassed to be caught, she hadn't jumped when he said her name, so perhaps she'd just...ignored his entrance. "...what are you doing?"

"I was looking for something of yours," she told him, turning back to his chest and rummaging through his shirts again.

"And what exactly is that? Maybe I could find it faster," Luke suggested, coming closer.

Tori sighed and frowned, dropping her arms to rest on the edge of the chest, glaring at nothing in particular. "I don't remember."

Luke hesitantly reached for one his shirts, pulling it from Tori's grasp. "I'm going to go take a quick shower and change. Then I'll come help you search for whatever it was you wanted to find, okay?"

Still frowning, though now it'd turned into something more of an absolutely fucking adorable pout, Tori nodded. She inclined her head toward Luke just as he leaned down further to peck her cheek before going to the Hermes' cabin bathroom.

Luke emerged from the bathroom ten minutes later, hair still damp and disheveled from the quick towel dry he'd given it, with a new shirt on. Tori looked up, seemingly not having moved from her spot—though a quick glance in the chest and Luke could see she'd refolded all his shirts and organized the rest of his chest—and her frown deepened. Luke froze and looked down at himself, wondering if he'd put his shirt on backwards, or worse, his pants. Had he somehow upset her without his knowing?

"What's wrong?" he asked, looking back up at her.

"Why do you own so many brown shirts?" she asked, her eyes moving from his brown quarter-sleeve shirt to his face.

Luke blinked. "What?"

She gestured to his trunk. "Half the shirts you own are brown. You have more brown shirts than Camp Half-Blood shirts. Why do you own so many brown shirts?"

Luke shifted on his feet, feeling his face start to heat up slightly, though at this stage in their relationship it shouldn't have been embarrassing.

"Well, I...I don't know—" Something occurred to him and he broke off, eyebrows furrowing. "You don't like the color brown?"

Tori let out a huff and turned, leaning her back against the chest and crossed her arms. "No."

Luke went to sit down next to her, also leaning against the chest. "Why?"

"It's boring!" She threw her hands up. "It's generic, and basic, and…unoriginal. It's... _common_." She said the word "common" like a cursed word, like that was the worst word she could think of when describing the color brown.

"I don't know, I like it," Luke said, shrugging.

"Why?"

His embarrassment returned. "It's a warm color, it's the earth, and trees. It's natural." He paused biting his lip before turning to look at Tori, who was glaring at the wall across from them. Luke caressed her cheek, turning her head so he could look her in the eyes. "It's the color of your eyes," he told her softly, stroking his thumb underneath one of her eyes.

A blush stained Tori's cheek and she looked away. Luke dropped his hand, but took one of her hands into his.

"It's the most common eye color there is, Luke," she mumbled, hunching her shoulders, her head turned away from him, so he wasn't able to see the expression on her face. "It's nothing special."

Luke stroked the back of her hand with his thumb, squeezing it gently. Tori inclined her head slightly more toward him, but he still couldn't see her face.

"In the early morning, before the sun's come up, they're onyx. A night, they remind me of the night sky. During the day, they remind me of the forest here at camp. And in direct sunlight, they shine like topaz." He looked down at their entwined hands and squeezed hers. "I love brown."

When he looked up again, Tori was looking at the wall across from them again. Her shoulders were hunched and she was shifting like she was embarrassed, but he could see that she was fighting a smile. Her face was beet red.

Luke leaned toward her, and even though she was embarrassed, she turned to look at him, with wide brown eyes and the cutest expression he'd ever seen, it stopped his heart. He froze, unable to speak, and swallowed hard.

Having expected a kiss and having not gotten one, Tori grabbed the front of Luke's shirt and pulled him down toward her. When the kiss got heated, before Tori could shift to make it easier and more comfortable, Luke did.

He turned to fully face her on his knees, not breaking the kiss, slotting one of his legs between hers to be able to hold himself up. Tori's hands came up and tugged at the hem of Luke's shirt. Luke pulled away briefly to nod and Tori slipped her hands under his shirt, feeling his abs, riding up his shirt as she slid her hands up to his chest. One of her hands moved out from underneath the shirt to nape of Luke's neck, pulling him even closer, before knotting her hand in his hair.

Luke's hands caressed Tori's face, one of them moving to her hair, so he could pull his fingers through it. One of his hands then moved to Tori's waist, his fingers playing with the hem of her shirt. Instead of breaking the kiss, Tori moved one of her hands on top of his and moved his hand underneath her shirt for him before bringing her hand back to his chest.

His hand immediately went to trace her scars.

The door went to the cabin not long after, but the two didn't even break the kiss. They'd become much more public about their relationship, which also meant PDA. They'd been interrupted one time too many and so had given up trying to be more...secretive, for the lack of a better word, about it. It just wasn't worth it anymore.

The person cleared their throat, but Luke and Tori continued to ignore them. When it was clear they weren't going to stop, the person let out a heavy sigh and stomped over to the bathroom, slamming the door after they got in.

They stopped, then, both looking at the closed bathroom door. Tori also took this time to straighten out Luke's shirt.

Luke turned to look at Tori again, grinning and chuckling. Tori smiled back, laughing as Luke pressed his forehead against hers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IDK why this took me so fucking long. I actually had most of it written, but for some reason writing the kiss scene just…wasn't coming to me. In any case, I hope it was good.
> 
> Also, these really are getting shorter. I apologize for that, but also, short and sweet is still good, yeah?
> 
> As always, hope you enjoyed! Comments are much appreciate! ^_^
> 
> Thank you for reading,  
> TheBrightestNight


	6. Part 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, sorry fam. It's been a while, I know. I just…hit a road block writing this. Writing anything, really (because Grad School…yay…).
> 
> I've hit a bit of writer's block on INAS, so I'm hoping writing this will help me…in some way.

"Here, take my hand." Luke held out his hand for Tori and smiled. Tori grinned back—most likely looking like a lovesick fool—and took his hand. Even though he didn't need to say anything of that sort that was the first thing he'd said to her the first time she'd visited Olympus.

The great height, the fact that the steps leading up to the mountain itself were floating, with not so much as a floating handrail, scared her half to death. She refused to step off the small island where the elevator sat.

Luke had already made it halfway up the steps with Annabeth, but he'd glanced back and noticed Tori's hesitation. She remembers watching him say something to Annabeth before carefully making his way back down the steps, toward her. When he stepped onto the island, he met her eyes and smiled, holding his hand out and said, "Here, take my hand."

Ever since then, every time they went on the trip to Olympus in the winter, for the solstice, he would offer his hand and they'd walk up the stone steps together. Tori always felt safer with his hand in hers. She felt less like she was going to fall.

Tori looked up at the mountain as they walked up the steps, still awestruck at how beautiful it all was. She glanced at Luke, to say something, not sure what, but the words died in her throat at his expression. His eyes were darker than usual, his expression now a deep frown, eyebrows furrowed.

Tori squeezed his hand, leaning a little closer to him. "Hey, you okay?" she asked.

Luke blinked, like he was coming out of a daze and looked over at her. "What? Yeah, of course."

Tori frowned, not convinced. He still seemed preoccupied by something. "Are you sure?" They'd made it to the main island by this point, and so she pulled him off to the side.

Luke avoided her gaze, which only made her more worried "I just…don't really like visiting Olympus, you know?"

She still wasn't convinced. Looking down, Tori took Luke's hands into hers and played with his fingers. "You can tell me anything, you know that right?" she asked quietly, afraid of looking up and seeing his expression. She didn't want to see his walls up because she hated when he kept things from her.

Luke gently pulled one of his hands from Tori's so he could put a finger under her chin and tilt her head up. She tried not to look disappointed when she saw that his walls  _had_ , indeed, come up. His expression, even the emotion in his eyes, expressed nothing.

"Of course," he said, giving her a small smile. Tori waited patiently, giving him a chance to tell her what was on his mind. "But nothing else is bothering me." Then he paused, waiting for her to push it or accept his answer.

"Okay." Tori murmured, reaching up to brush some of the bangs from his face. He reached up to caress Tori's cheek before pulling her into a kiss. It was too short. Silently, they turned to head further up the mountain. Luke put his arm around Tori's waist, pulling her closer, and she did the same, leaning into him.

It was one of the harder things to deal with when dating a son of Hermes. He was such a smooth liar—convincing, charismatic. If Tori hadn't known him as well as she did, she would've thought he was telling the truth when he'd assured her nothing else was wrong. As it were, he was still half-human, and that also meant he had tells. Tori knew most, if not all, of them.

Dinner was uneventful—relatively speaking. Generally, a party was thrown for the camp when the kids from Camp Half-Blood came up to visit Olympus in the winter. The gods rarely, if ever, showed, but the rest of those residing on Olympus gave them a warm welcome. There was delicious food and fun music. The streets of Olympus were nearly always alive with light, and color, and minor gods and nature spirits. Despite it being the middle of winter and so far high up in the sky, the streets were always warm.

The atmosphere was still just as lively, but Tori was preoccupied with what was wrong with Luke. He was quieter than usual, which was concerning. Not to mention the fact that he wasn't talking about  _what_  was bothering him. Ever since their romantic relationship had become official, there was little they didn't tell each other. So it was different to know something was wrong, but he wouldn't tell her what.

When it was lights out and everyone headed to their separate buildings—they split up according to gender since there weren't usually a lot of campers that stayed during the winter at camp. It just didn't warrant building cabins on Olympus for godly parents. Luke kissed Tori, and it was rougher than usual, almost…needy. They were both gasping for air when they finally broke apart, and when he said goodnight, it almost sounded like he was saying goodbye, instead.

Tori wanted to run after him, demand he tell her what was going on, but Chiron was there making sure they all got into their correct cabins and Tori didn't want to cause a scene. Reluctantly, she headed to the girls' cabin, watching Luke, who didn't look back once.

It was hard to fall asleep, Tori's mind buzzing with worry about Luke. When she finally fell asleep due to exhaustion, it was fitful and light. She had terrible, vague and fuzzy demigod dreams. The only thing she was sure of was that it had something to do with Luke, which didn't help any of her anxieties.

She wasn't sure what time it was, but Tori was startled awake by a peel of thunder, and bolted up in her bed.

"Luke!" she exclaimed, my voice hoarse.

Outside, rain pelted the windows. Breathing hard, Tori looked around to see if anyone else had heard it (or her cry), but to her utter surprise, everyone was still asleep. She frowned, wondering how they could've slept through that, through the pouring rain. When another peel of thunder shook the cabin, and the only stirring Tori saw was someone rolling over, she had to wonder if they'd all taken sleeping pills or something without her knowledge.

Tori glanced outside again, at the sheet of rain, but slid out of bed, determined to sneak into the other cabin and check on Luke. She pulled on her clothes, and slipped into her shoes before quietly sneaking over to the door. Tori opened as little as she could and slipped outside, the rain becoming almost deafening, even with how little she'd opened the door. The wind was rough—it whistled and howled. Another crack of thunder made her jump.

Nonetheless, Tori stepped off the protection of the porch and into the pouring, freezing rain. The girls' cabin was right next to the boys' cabin, so all she had to do was walk down the steps, follow the cobblestone path a few feet to another that led to the main road, and various other places, including the boys' cabin.

Tori was half-way there when she realized that another person was up and walking in her direction. She froze a moment when she realized that other person was Luke. He stopped short, too, for a long moment. Tori walked quickly toward him just as he did and they collided, Luke's arms wrapping tightly around her. She wrapped her arms around him, shivering from the rain even though she hadn't even been in it long. Having her ear pressed against his chest, Tori could hear how erratic his breathing was, how fast his heart was beating. It couldn't have been from the cold…

"What's wrong, Luke?" she asked over the rain, trying to pull away, but Luke's arms only tightened around her form.

"I just…couldn't sleep," he breathed in her ear, holding her even closer. His voice sounded on the verge of tears. Tori's anxiety shot through the roof.

"Please, Luke—" she tried, her voice breaking. Tori hugged him tighter, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Here, let's get out of the rain," he said, pulling her to the space in between the cabins, deeper into the shadows. The roof didn't extend that much farther, but it was enough cover to get us out of the rain and wind. Regardless, Tori clung to him, still shivering.

Finally, Luke pulled away, but kept his arms around her waist. His eyes nearly glowed in the dark. "I just…had a bad dream." His eyes roamed over Tori's face, like he was drinking in her features. There were dark circles under his eyes. The way he held her, it almost felt like he was afraid she'd disappear at any moment.

"Are…are you sure?" Tori asked.

Luke nodded, but she knew he was lying again. Before she could press, however, Luke pulled her into a kiss just as desperate as the one he'd given her before we'd turned in for the night. My worry grew the longer they kissed, but a thrill also ran through Tori, heat coiling in her stomach. He wasn't usually this rough, so this was a new experience.

Luke pushed Tori up against the cabin wall, nipping at her neck when she had to pull away for air. His hot breath on her cool skin sent tingles up and down her spine. Luke pulled back for a split second, his fingers playing with the hem of Tori's shirt, his free hand going into her soaked hair. Tori nodded before pulling his lips back to hers. He slipped his hand underneath her shirt and started tracing her scars. His hand was surprisingly warm, but it was a welcome feeling. She wasn't shivering as much anymore, but was still chilled.

The sound of the rain seemed to dim, along with the sound of the wind. Neither of them heard a single peel of thunder. All they could hear was their own ragged breathing. Tori could feel the warmth of his hands on the nape of her neck, and along her scars. Luke marveled at the warmth radiating off of Tori, the most heat coming from one of her arms around his neck, and her free hand knotted in his hair.

Luke pulled away to look at Tori. His hand stopped tracing her scars, resting at the lowest point of them. Both their chests were heaving.

"I love you," he said, his eyes swirling with emotions Tori couldn't get a read on. "I love you," he repeated, closing his eyes and resting his forehead against hers. "I love you. I love you." His grip tightened on her, pulling her closer to him.

Tori reached up to hold his face in her hands. Tears filled her eyes. "Luke…" Her voice wavered, worry filling every pore in her body. This wasn't like him. "Please." She gasped. "You're scaring me."

"Promise me," Luke said, opening his eyes. "Promise me you'll stay with me."

"Luke—" Tori broke off when he pulled me into him again, slipping his hand out from under her shirt and hugging her tightly. "Of course. I promise." Tori blinked and hot tears streamed down her face. She wrapped one arm around him, and reached her free hand to cradle the back of his head.

Luke's shoulders shook with silent sobs.

"I love you, too." Tori managed before more tears streamed down her face and her throat clogged up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can't say I'm officially back because my winter break is ending soon. Then I'll be back to grad school, probably too busy to write like I was these past few months. For that I apologize.
> 
> But thanks for sticking with me to the end (of the line). I hope you can continued to be patient. I'll try to get another part in before heading off to school again.
> 
> As always, I hope you enjoyed! Comments are much appreciated! ^_^
> 
> Thank you for reading,  
> TheBrightestNight


End file.
